Tapping a spring for Running spring water in the off grid roundhouse

while the guys were working on the track i worked on the water main for the house.
www.KrisHarbour.co.uk

[@offgridinthepacificnorthwe3210]

Tha'ts enough water for two homes easy! We live off grid and have 5 springs but only need one during winter. Last year we had 100" of rain and 5 feet of snow. We use 2 of our springs during the summer months. The two springs are true springs as they never change output even in a drought year. We irrigate from the pond that all the springs run into. Your flow that you have is about the same as our true springs and we have run two houses on it for 25 years! You have done a fantastic job. I really like your micro hydro set up. I have considered doing the same but we do well on 4.8k of solar. I really like your cord wood house too! You are a craftsmen. We have 40 acres of timber and a sawmill. We built our homes from timber on our own land. Like you, we did it all DYI.

[@ednaemode5762]

So in winter if the spring freezes and no water comes out due to the frozen water, when the days warm up does the spring overflow on the sheer water build up in the winter?

[@silvursprings]

Nice job. Water is life. It means everything.

[@melissajennings8185]

Sweet! you have running water and the best kind of running water, pure spring water. congratulations.

[@reneep9968]

I sure do admire you. You work so hard and it really has paid off. Thank you for all the awesome videos.

[@chriskeeble]

I started watching your roundhouse videos in the last 6-12 months and am now going back to watch the earlier videos. Fantastic to see where you've come from and what you've achieved. I can't remember a video of yours where I didn't learn something, admire something or both. Fantastic to see.

[@Shawn-Hyde]

make sure you test it, even spring water can have some really bad contaminates. Test is cheap or free at some universities and you really only need to do it once.

[@MetalmanVegas]

you've done an amazing job! I've watched the whole thing from the start, and you have put in a lot of work. it's paying off now. what a gem. congratulations on finishing the walls. I thought you'd never get there.

[@crystalawen]

What you’ve done is just amazing ; excellent & truly self sufficient.

[@anitajohnson-milch9296]

Good luck to have found fresh running spring water. What a blessing to get it for free. Love the vids Kris

[@KentuckyHomesteadFarm]

I absolutely love your videos man.... Just awesome..

[@Dingbat217]

Very nice! Having running water is a major step towards being self-sufficient so well done getting this far! :-)

[@mmanut]

That is life. Water, clean, cold running water is the most important thing to have. Good for you, very happy for you. Burying the pipe and box might be a great idea. Maybe do a section at a time. Good Luck, Vinny

[@Zawazuki]

Excellent job, man. This is certainly a good goal you have achieved.

[@Chazie_]

A simple thing but a brilliant one…well done kris!

[@baldcreations8044]

wow what a mile stone well done you, I can imagine how cool that feeling must be

[@KrisHarbour]

i really great feeling. its a real privilege to have water security we feel very lucky.

[@happyglampers9053]

Wow ! that's an amazing achievement, well done you. Richard from Locknaw Smithy sent me here and we're now looking forward to seeing more of your vids. Thank you for sharing

[@flyifri]

A big Congrats on getting water to the cabin... Well done.

[@sionyevans]

Massive satisfaction buddy...such respect kris man...man after my own art

[@truthteller9522]

Been watching u alot lately just got through with this one. Absolutely loved it thank you.

[@thatdutchguy2882]

You can put straw bales around the tank and then a cob on top, it keeps the tank isolated from frost and the summer heat.

[@Johnycum]

Found your channel today after seeing a video on reddit. Just watched a heap of them and this is the one that made me subscribe. You have an awesome outlook on life keep up the good work man.

[@tikvah7772]

" I know it dont look like much but its mine." Praise Yah! Cuz we all need water.

[@MariaVargas-ro6lr]

Hi Kris, I had been watching your videos. I love to watch every one of them! The videos make me dream about building a place for myself based on the house you just built for yourself. Your house building is inspirational. I would have get to know Wales landscapes and weather if was not for your posting. It looks like a beautiful green land though. I cant wait for the next video. Happy Holidays.

[@michaeldyke3421]

Very nice. Can't beat that. It is a great feeling.

[@lyndawilliams8434]

Kris, you need to make sure the source is covered. As it stands rats and other wild life can get at it. If rats urinate in the area, theres a real possibility of getting Weils disease. If you can get some flag stones or something that would do. Its a very common problem with uncovered springs... just dont want you to.. uh.. die... Other than that, brilliant job! And free!

[@KrisHarbour]

we are still filtering anything that we drink and dont heat up to boiling point. so we are extra safe. in the future we will get it tested and cover it up. thanks for the advise though Lynda we appreciate you looking out :) bad water isnt something to mess with.

[@lyndawilliams8434]

Kris Harbour Kinda figured you had it covered, just would have hated myself if not. Im pretty much in awe of you tonight... the boy dun good :D

[@rhiantaylor3446]

....and some gauze to block the overflow, again to stop wildlife getting in under those flagstones previously mentioned.

[@troopygino]

@@KrisHarbour Wait I thought boiling water is the correct thing to do? Am I missing something does boiling contaminated spring water amplify problems or something haha ?

[@robinw7985]

That must have been gratifying after all your hard work ! Thanks for sharing your accomplishments ! I'm in the beginning stages of this and can't wait to turn on the faucet as you did !❤

[@kay486]

two vids back to back? awesome!

[@KrisHarbour]

another one on its way now

[@julienmorgan4455]

You are an inspiration mate!

[@hillbillyheadcam1729]

Create an overflow pipe that runs out of your cabin with a valve. If freezing temps threaten just crack the valve so that it has a very slight flow (less than yoir inflow of course)going all the time. If the water stays moving even a little bit it wont freeze

[@c0niferal]

Great job and great video! Well done and thank you

[@Jeffrey23az]

This is such a neat project!

[@SHANONisRegenerate]

stocked that you made a spring video! I've been watching some average vids so far. big fan bro keep up the good work. Ive got a spring to tap!

[@punkbloater]

Nice work!

[@ServiceTrek]

very cool. maybe look into a ram pump, no electricity needed and depending on the fall (there's an equation for it) you can pump up to a raised holding tank closer to the house and it will give you nice pressure at the sink. good luck, i admire your tenacity :)

[@Oasix21]

Awesome build man!

[@trickyriky1]

awesome progress man :)

[@robinheil]

Absolutely freaking incredible. Look at that flow! Glad you know how hugely important this is to have on your property. It's almost too luxurious

[@liberty5677]

Thanks for making the video. Very cool.

[@fathertomoutdoors6579]

My grandfather from Ireland didn’t let it go into a tank. He ran the water directly to the kitchen sink where it constantly ran…Down the drain to the basement where he had a large pit that filled up…it’s over flow ran constantly into his garden. In the pit in the basement he had lifting racks to keep cheese and eggs refrigerated by the spring water. He only finished 4th grade.

[@mikedeman5351]

It's easy to see how people take water for granted. When I was a kid we had to use a manual pump (which had to be manually primed) to pump water into a tank on the roof so even at the age of 7 or 8 we had to take our turns every day to pump water. It is exhausting work for a kid, my arms used to feel like they were on fire and we weren't allowed a break (my old man was an Army PT instructor who never switched off even when he was home) until your stint was done. That said, it does develop your physical strength! Sorry for waffling! Great achievement to have your own independent water supply, and from your own spring/land too. Next thing to do is see if it makes a good cuppa! The water in some areas is better than others for tea-making!

[@rickershomesteadahobbyfarm3291]

I really like this setup.

[@ucantseeme33]

how fantastic!!!!

[@roehle9962]

beautiful!

[@Jason52597]

Amazing triumph

[@selenabeaulieu2361]

Wow that's awesome good pressure

[@Haldrahir]

Well done.

[@mebhi2]

That is just awesome!

[@matthewfinger2381]

I like the rock work. Reminds me of George Washington's Bathtub in WV.

[@azalea5560]

Water is Life.

[@AaronTheHumanist]

This is superb, as everyone else has voiced, and I know it seems basic, but having camped out many times building shelters, this us a real achievement. can I ask what your waste water plan is, both grey and black? will you be having a reed bed sewage system or maybe a dry toilet with sawdust?

[@whitecompany18]

Awesome method buddy .

[@thornwarbler]

fantastic achievement all round

[@danmcelroy6584]

Well done 👍

[@JasonLockwood87]

This is awesome

[@aaronjohnmaughan]

Leaving your collection basin open like that lets in things you don't want in your drinking water. You really don't want rain runoff getting in there either.

[@ricmagni492]

Great videos. I love your project. I just thought, wht don't you dig a well closer to the house?

[@steveroche2524]

Water is 1 of the main things you need to survive without it you dont have much hope so to have it naturally on site amazing and fulfilling to know it dont cost either other than the set up costs

[@mkenglis]

nice setup

[@sambulate]

I'm so impressed with all you've accomplished, Kris! I imagine you had to make a clean, sound connection between the pipe and the spring--how did you achieve that, given an imperfect spring opening?

[@TheNinja691]

You could bottle that and sell it Kris. Like Peckham Spring water 🤣

[@bdmenne]

EXCELLENT!

[@blackbway]

awesome video, i watched all your vids. what kind of skull is that near the end of the pipe?

[@lastchancehomestead6813]

Good video. I gave a thumbs up.

[@asusreviews]

How do you make sure its clean enough water? What about sediment? Any filters or screens?

[@cheneybros]

you might think about getting a Brondell reverse osmosis water filtration system...I have one in my kitchen & tastes great! You may not need it since it's spring water, but I would still be cautious drinking unfiltered water.

[@andreawiggington4655]

Awesome!!

[@michelecox5241]

Awesome!

[@rb1179]

You're in paradise.

[@sjvche7675]

Got a 10 micron filter for Giardia cysts?

[@sethmckinney3491]

What was the mortar used that didn’t leak, I couldn’t make it out? 3 parts lime to 1 part mortar? I have a spring I need to do this too. But it averages 5 gpm on a steep hill side between to boulders of granite. So it needs to be strong and permanent. After some rain the flow gets stronger.

[@jaddington82]

Any future worries about sediment buildup in your cistern tank?

[@noodlesd9126]

I have a spring/seep much like yours. Where I'm collecting keeps collapsing in. Did you back fill at all?

[@ruta123ish]

well done, woohoo!

[@GatorLife57]

Thumbs up... ENJOY.... THE SIMPLE LIFE

[@andrewwyatt2542]

Hi kris what are the dimensions of is the spring dam great idea 👍

[@oldtimeengineer26]

any amount of water is a plus 1/2 gal per minute will fill the tank and more congratulations

[@BeardsandBranches]

Have you tested the water? I am just wondering if the cement could leach in the water. I have a spring on my land as well, I blocked if off but it seems to seep underneath the blockage so it doesnt quite fill up. Cement was my option.

[@KrisHarbour]

+Beards and Branches no I have not tested it. I filter the water I drink through a ceramic filter. Washing water is straight from the spring. It's been working for a year now 👍

[@Chr.U.Cas2216]

"Well" done!

[@roehle9962]

You should make a water tap from that skull!

[@MyLevelheaded]

I agree with lynda digging out a bit at the back and filtering through stone and gravel will also stop infiltration of other nasties and cove even lime mortaring in topstones so sand and gravel outside the well casing of stone can do their job and yes cover it up...even put it inside a structure to ensure purity and protect from the elements. Would not want infiltration of insects and worms drowning and decaying in the water...Other wise a gravity fed chlorination pump may need to be employed which of course leads to all sort of nasty carcinogens and chemical compounds leaching from the black pvc pipe.

[@DocCinn]

What kind of pipe is that? I've seen other videos that use rigid PVC, but I need to run about 700' and follow bends.

[@robduchesne7223]

what is this tank called,I need one in canada ontario area

[@cryptoscalpers9603]

why not build a little shelter over the top of the tank to keep the cold out?

[@zuupcat]

Is there any danger of stuff growing in the tank or the pipes? I guess the water in there is not moving most of the time, right?

[@hsv7676]

How simple it is with a pipe. In our region, the water supply must be buried 2.5-3 meters deep, otherwise in winter everything will freeze and burst.

[@cschirk]

what will happen if the lake freezes over?

[@waynedavis2505]

you might get a much stronger flow of water if you attach a standpipe on or in the house. It will allow the water to fill the pipe completely and allow the feed line to vent and not slow the flow down with the drag you are getting now.

[@TobinBelisle]

i am not sure if i missed this... is the entire system gravity fed or is there some sort of pump involved?

[@hellspawn3200]

gravity fed.

[@snuffa.luffaguss6337]

Nov 2, 2017 one year later, how well the spring water holding up?

[@KrisHarbour]

its still working perfectly. it has not had a real hard frost yet so that will be its next test. but i have done nothing to it since this video and the water keeps coming out of the tap :D

[@snuffa.luffaguss6337]

thats kool

[@snuffa.luffaguss6337]

Hey 3 years later!!! Does the water still run perfectly?

[@SimonEarly]

we used to get potable water from a font. It had a rather huge sand and (activated) charcoal filter in it. All the villagers were told not to drink from it for a week after a dead goat was found on the mountain above it for some reason. I'd deffo super filter/boil it if I were you, jut in case. OR - seeing as you've got spare hydro power, how about UV light steriliser?

[@joeyjohnson235]

did anyone notice the skull

[@joeyjohnson235]

at 5:40

[@azzamarks660]

Joey Johnson wtf

[@James-zh6nf]

Where on screen?

[@joewallsmonsterhunte]

Yep! Lol!

[@wonderbubbles4092]

Looked like horse. I would be tempted to put it on the eaves of the out house.

[@KingKurlz]

What would you have done if you hadn't found the spring on your land?

[@KrisHarbour]

filtered rain water most likely. in wales there is plenty of rain so we would always have water, but for it to flow 24 hours a day 365 days a year is a real advantage.

[@KingKurlz]

Very fortunate! Have you considered putting a cover on top of the spring dam? it would prevent additional airborne/animal contaminants getting into the reservoir pool. Also, the pool is now more susceptible to freezing in the winter, to which a cover would help prevent it. Great video by the way, congratulations on all the progress that has been made!

[@praestant8]

Elliot Harper Covered is better than not, but it won’t prevent contamination.

[@Goose-wedding]

no mention of the deer skull at 6:00 hahaha

[@mattwoodproperty]

It's difficult to see from the video mate, but how do you know it's a spring? And how do know the purity?

[@KrisHarbour]

when the lake was dug the digger hit a seem of rock that was right in the middle of clay. the water never stops flowing regardless of the weather. it didn't rain for a month and the spring had the same flow. i am going to take a sample in the future and get it tested to see how clean it is. but for now we filter it thought a ceramic filter for drinking.

[@mattwoodproperty]

+Kris Harbour thanks for the speedy response kris, I think that also answers my next question on the lake dig such as pond liner etc. If it's the ceramic filters that are priced in the £200 area, I've heard they even filter out bacteria which sounds crazy , but been told again and again that it does regardless of if it's swamp water!!

[@SDeww]

why did u not split the hoez into 2, and than have copper piping around your wood stoof and let the water run through it so u have hot/cold water.

[@KrisHarbour]

i will be doing just that when i come to doing all he plumbing.

[@edpercy1197]

Do a pond update for 2017

[@devanvelo3725]

Will this be drinking water?

[@hampshireoak]

In the opening shot of the spring there is obvious iron stain on the bed of the stream. Although iron is not toxic. It may indicate the presence of other metals which might be harmful. Have a water analysis performed asap.

[@user-sq9dv7ru7v]

Nothing to stop the spring being contaminated by surface water.

[@gypsybaxty4327]

If you ever know it going to be really cold just drain the pipe. It won’t exspand then